Prints of your bird photos

[kenn3d]

Hi all,

Ok so it seems there's not that much traffic in this sub-forum yet, and I'm not sure if this topic is germaine here (Mods - please guide me if not), but here goes anyway.

I see a ton of very professional looking bird photography displayed both here and around the web. And I've just been wondering about how many of you print and or sell your work.

We're really newbies and hobbiests, but since we opened our SmugMug galleries and began posting in various bird related forums online, we have had some inquiries and even a few requests for prints of some of our photos. I had set our galleries up for display (sharing) only and disabled the "Shopping Cart" feature because I was uncomfortable with just anybody on the internet making prints of our work at 19cents a piece, with us never knowing who printed them or how many.

So after a recent very sincere email request from one of the forums, I upgraded our SmugMug account to "Professional" and set up a "Printables" Gallery, enabled the shopping cart, etc and ...

So hey, we made a sale... no biggie... but cool I think that someone actually bought something... and I find myself wondering... What now?

Long story short - I just wonder how many of you sell your work online and would like to hear your any comments and/or advice about that whole process.

Kenn

[Bill Boehme]

Wow, there is actually activity on this forum. I think that it is great that you made a sale. I am nowhere close to having anything worth giving away ... much less trying to sell anything. If you will check the gallery links in bird photographers signature blocks, you will find that many of the birders here are set up to sell images. I have no idea how worthwhile a venture it might be, but if you approach it from the perspective that I approach my hobby of woodturning, it is like "free" money that I can use to buy more toys.

[Guerry Dalrymple]

Kenn

Good question. I would like to be able to sell photos from our web site but have had trouble figuring it out. My host has a for sale feature but can't seem to figure it out. Also trying to figure out pricing. I have sold several bird pictures that folks wanted for their home or office and as a fund raiser for a local non-profit but can't seem to get over the hump selling from our site. I also have read and read about stock photo sales but again can't seem to pull the trigger. Good luck

Guerry

[Duane N]

I have sold quite a few prints....I'm honored people want to purchase them and I used to print them out myself but the ink/paper got too expensive with all the requests I received...plus I don't have much time for it. I set up an account with http://www.exposuremanager.com/. and they pretty much handle everything from printing to shipping. All I do is upload them and they take care of the rest. I get a monthly check from them after they take their 'cut' of the sales.

The profits from the Eagle prints I've sold were donated to a wildlife center for the care of an Eaglet removed from the nest I watch/photograph. But I've sold other prints as well...that goes in my pocket. ;)

I never got into photography to get rich or make another career out of it...if it becomes work I get bored quickly...it's my way of forgetting about other things going on and my own peace of mind. :D

Not sure if this helped or not but I remember my first sale....I about fell out of my chair when I received that E-mail.

[Hikin Mike]

I sell my photos both on my website and Arts & Craft shows. I've posted my booth and suppliers....

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=6320527&postcount=5

[Blue Deuce]

I sell my photos both on my website and Arts & Craft shows. I've posted my booth and suppliers....

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=6320527&postcount=5

Nice set up. I read the article about you in the paper. What an inspiration you are. Next time I don't feel up to going out to shoot or work I am going to think about that article again. Good luck.

[Hikin Mike]

Nice set up. I read the article about you in the paper. What an inspiration you are. Next time I don't feel up to going out to shoot or work I am going to think about that article again. Good luck.

Thanks! :oops:

[Guerry Dalrymple]

I sell my photos both on my website and Arts & Craft shows. I've posted my booth and suppliers....

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=6320527&postcount=5

Thats a great set up Mike. Nancy and I have been talking about putting something like that together. Now that I am slowing down at work and getting ready to retire it might be time to put it together. Thanks for posting the set up and info.

Guerry

[CyberDyneSystems]

Print and sell in small local art galleries.

[vkalia]

I find selling prints to be a relatively unprofitable venture. While the revenue is not bad, once I account for direct cost, allocated cost of making the images and the time it takes to handle these sales, it is rarely worth doing so (especially when that time, spent in other marketing, can yield better results).

If you are not spending a lot of $$ in travel/park fees/etc to make the images and if you work out an efficient method to print, then maybe it is worth it for you.

V.

[tkoutdoor]

There's a big name wildlife photog here in Western Washington state that displays at the Puyallup Fair. He said his booth costs him $1,000 a day and he runs it for 17? days straight (all the days of the fair I think). He has 3 to 4 people busy in the booth all the time when the people are out. He's making his money you can be sure. He's been a wildlife photog for something like 40 years or so and still shoots film. Not everyone can achieve this, but some people will have what it takes.

Today's market is very competitive with the rise of the high resolution digital camera and the fall of film as the mainstay. 4 local camera shops have folded in the last 18 months here in Tacoma and the 1 (are there any others left here?) remaining hopes to go another 20 years and is trying to gear up for the long haul. Who knows if they'll make it? I think not if they can't adapt to the changes that come with the internet like eBay sellers, national retailers, Costco, etc. These local guys can still offer service and education for the hordes of new camera users maybe, but it seems they are gonna need to grab a piece of the national market as well if they can really stay in the game. Affordable local lens/camera/gear rentals that are nationally competitive might be a realistic way to add value to the local business.

The idea of making a living from photography seems to be getting hit from every side. Lot's of people can now do it because the technology is up to the task, so the competition is ramping up. Not everyone will have an eye for it, or the pocketbook to gear up, but the averages buyers idea of a passable wall hanging may get watered down a bit before the market is done being flooded with lots of photogs willing to sell at cut rates to get started. It seems to me the best of the photogs today will be able to make a living at it, but there will probably be some lean times ahead for the average photog trying to make it full time. That's what I think. I'm not planning to quit my day job anytime soon.

[jmik26]

I had a couple of friends interested in some of my pictures so I looked for a good portfolio to carry some prints in. For the cost of one nice portfolio I could host a site for one year and just send people the link. I had the knowledge of making basic web sites so it was almost a no brainer.
I have had the site up for two months and sales have been great. The site paid for itself, some paper, and half of my Pixma 9500. Hopefully it will continue... Hope this helps... Jeff

[scrumpy]

On holiday in North Devon recently, I came across a stall in a market selling what was obviously home-made prints. Some were quite good, but there was quite a few mediocre shots for sale. The point being I saw people buying the prints. So if you have the time (and the nerve) it can be done.

[tkoutdoor]

I've seen something similar. Someone had a booth set up in a local farmers market and was selling stuff that I would reject or fix. The subject matter and composition was mostly good, but many of the pictures didn't pop, some had cameras shake issues, and most had pixelation/printing issues. I was surprised, but they were selling.

[Booswalia]

I sell quite a few of my landscape photos every year. I print and package my own photos and I sell them wholesale to some of the local tourist shops. I'm certainly not making a killing, but I make enough to keep me happy in camera equipment. I also created and maintain my own web site.

[northlander]

I've ventured into the local gift shop arena. I only have my stuff at one shop and although it's not yet a moneymaker it's a good way to get your name out to the locals and tourists and including a card with the website provides potential for future sales. It's more of a passive marketing tool for me.